Monday

Sometimes, on any given day, themes emerge -- both on Ocean and in the unfolding day. (Sometimes it takes Ocean writing to make me understand that all along there were hints of -- well, whatever the thematic element might be.)

Today, there was no ambiguity. I don't even have to spell it out, right? (Hint: it's positively golden!)

Here's my morning run to the cheepers:






It used to be that letting the hens out a little after 7 would allow me to witness a sunrise. Not anymore.






Breakfast -- in that room!






Of course, there's never just one thread -- there are at least a handful. For instance, today is Monday. A regular Ocean reader would likely remember that this often leads to an uptick in Snowdrop photos, just because she spends the day at the farmhouse and does (photographable) things that are specific to her visit here -- always just a little different than what she might do at home.






Too, there'll be a lot of Ed. He comes in and out of the farmhouse and, when he's in, she insists on a lift. In the next photo, she and I have just fed the cheepers chunks of bread. She hails a ride back to the house. (But do note that first theme as well!)






Sometimes we'll be playing and she hears the door open.






She has to investigate. And again she'll bum a ride. (Here, she caught him eating an orange. She gets a cut of a slice He complains that her pucker causes the juice to dribble. I laugh.)






Ed'll fix himself a lunch -- we're low on leftovers and so he defaults to peanut butter and jam. She is interested! I ask -- are we sure that peanut butter is safe for a toddler? Web says yes, in small amounts. It's hard to tell here if she loves the pb&j, or just the j, or equally likely -- sharing a bite of something, anything, with the big guy.






There are the usual vignettes too -- they could be here, they could come from her home, or even across the globe: the beg for a lift to see the world from way up high:






The concentrated "reading" -- flap books rank high right now.






The eating -- this time lunch. Beloved orange segments!






Oh, but let me go back to the first theme, that theme, you know, the one that made such an impression on me, on anyone who loves February sunshine. (There, I've spelled it out for you.) You can almost touch it!






Tantalizing when indoors, but of course, most evident outside. Here are two photos from our late afternoon walk, back in Snowdrop's neighborhood. Oh, that play of light on her face!






And finally, our skyline, by the lesser lake. The water is frozen enough for ice fishermen to set up camp (not many women out there), but it surely looks like the few days of warmth have left their mark.





I'll end with that. Tomorrow there may be storms, today, there was that gentle, beautiful February sunshine.